1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to sanitary undergarments and more specifically it relates to a protective menstrual panty.
The protective menstrual panty fulfills a need for underwear to provide added comfort and increased protection against leakage for menstruating women. The appealing features of the protective menstrual panty is the increased protection it would offer against staining. By eliminating stains, embarrassment will be avoided. In addition, the panty will give a woman confidence, reassurance, and peace of mind that her underwear and outer wear would always be fresh and clean. The undergarment incorporates a number of features to secure a sanitary napkin in place. Furthermore, if leakage did occur, the crotch portion would disguise it due to it being produced in black. The protective menstrual panty will also be attractive and reasonably priced. The undergarment will also feature a body portion made from a stretchable fabric, which will flatten a bloated stomach. The present invention is versatile, in that, it can be used by women experiencing any type of discharge, such as the elderly who have bladder problems and women with yeast infections or bladder infections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although women have dealt with menstrual flow in many different ways throughout the ages, it wasn't until the early 1900s that they began to use cloth diapers and then surgical bandages to absorb the flow, which were then washed and used again or disposed of after use. After World War I, surplus bandage material was packaged as sanitary pads. The result was "KOTEX", the first successful disposable product for use during menstruation. "MODESS" pads came on the scene a few years later.
A whole new are of competition opened up in the 1930s with the invention of "TAMPEX"--an internal tampon with an applicator. Tampons were heralded as a revolutionary advance in hygiene and comfort. They were also denounced as an imminent threat to virginity and morality, a myth that faded with time. New brands of tampons, such as "PLAYTEX" and "KOTEX" were later introduced, and internal products steadily gained in popularity. Tampons without applicators, long popular in Europe, began to gain a following in the United States.
One of the most recent innovations in sanitary products cam in 1970. The conventional pad was reduced in size, stripped of its belt, and equipped with an adhesive band. The result was the mini-pad. Now available in several brands, mini-pads are promoted for use just before menstruation, on days of light flow, and as a supplement to tampons on days of heavy flow. They have been joined by larger versions known as maxi-pads, conventional-sized pads with an adhesive band for "beltless freedom."
More recently, sanitary napkins have undergone substantial reshaping. The trend, say Chris Ferdock, who manages the product for private label manufacturer Confab Cos., is toward much thinner, if longer, sanitary napkins. Highly absorbent materials have allowed for the emergency of ultrathin pads, which are suitable for heavy menstrual flow, but much less bulky than traditional sanitary maxipads. Johnson & Johnson's Personal Products Co., for example, claims that its new "STAYFREE ULTRA PLUS" is eighty percent thinner than regular maxipads. The key ingredient, say the company, is sphagnum, a type of moss harvested from bogs. By 1991, all of the major pad makers, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Procter & Gamble Co., and Johnson & Johnson had debuted ultrathin products--which, in less than a year, had grabbed a significant share of the market, drawing sales mainly from "THIN MAXIS". Ultimately, these new ultrathin pads could detract from sales of tampons.
Another recent innovation was the inclusion of decorative tote bags in boxes of pads that could also be used for proper and discreet disposal of the pads. One manufacturer of panty liners recently began offering a decorative box that is pretty enough to be placed in view on a dresser.
Even with all of the products available to make women more comfortable during menstruation, this is still often a very depressing time because by nature, the menstrual cycle has its up and downs due to hormonal changes. Only recently has the medical community recognized and labeled these changes as the Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), which affects an estimated twenty-five million American women. Symptoms of PMS can range from tension and irritability to cravings and stomach cramps. The most common symptoms are unexplained depression, anger, lethargy, unprovoked crying, and an inability to function normally. PMS is thought to account for an eight billion dollar loss each year through employee absenteeism.
The majority of American women, however, do not have major physical problems due to menstruation. But they often do have difficulties in coping with the menstrual flow. Most women are concerned about bleed-through, whether they are wearing a tampon or napkin. Despite all of the innovations to feminine hygiene products, women still experience leakage and stains on their expensive undergarments and outer wear. Not only could this be frustrating, but it could also be embarrassing. Some women spend a lot of time and money trying to soak underwear as well as pants, shorts and skirts in stain removers in an effort to save them from disposal. While this is often somewhat effective, the delicate fabrics used often cannot withstand the harsh chemicals used in these soaking solutions.
Numerous sanitary undergarments have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,022,212 to Lovison; 4,560,381 to Southwell; 4,690,681 to Haunschild et al.; 4,813,950 to Branch; 4,880,424 to Rautenberg and 5,098,419 to Gold all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.